WWE's Charlotte Flair out of action for 9 months after knee injury suffered on 'Smackdown'

The "queen" of WWE will be sidelined for a significant time in 2024.

Charlotte Flair will be out of action for the next nine months, WWE announced Saturday morning, as she will need surgery on a knee surgery she suffered last week.

Flair appeared to suffer the injury during her match with Asuka on "Smackdown" on Dec. 8. Flair was on top of the turnbuckles when Asuka went for a move, but the two fell awkwardly on the mat. After the match, Flair could be seen holding her left knee as medical personnel attended to her, and she was assisted out of the ring.

The WWE star posted a broken heart emoji on social media following the news of her injury.

What does Charlotte Flair injury mean?

The knee injury Flair suffered will be a significant blow to the company as it enters the new year, as Flair will miss the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania 40 and SummerSlam. The earliest Flair could return in August 2024, around the time of WWE's Bash in Berlin in Germany on Aug. 31, 2024.

The injury will also mean more time away for the 14-time WWE champion, who was out for nearly eight months in 2022 after her marriage with Andrade of All Elite Wrestling. In 2023, she took two months off following her WrestleMania 39 loss to Rhea Ripley, and was currently feuding with Damage CTRL. Flair was part of the women's WarGames match at Survivor Series in November.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WWE's Charlotte Flair out 9 months after knee injury on 'Smackdown'